(This update courtesy of Vatican Information Service.)
VATICAN CITY (VIS) – The Fourth World Meeting of Families, promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Family, begins this week in Manila, the Philippines on the theme chosen by Pope John Paul, “The Christian Family: Good News for the Third Millennium.” The Pope's special envoy to the five-day encounter is Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, council president.
The three previous meetings took place in 1994 in Rome, 1997 in Rio de
Janeiro and again in Rome during the Jubilee Year 2000. A communique from
the pontifical council states that massive numbers of participants are
expected at the encounter, whose logistics are being taken care of by the archdiocese of Manila. Delegates from 75 countries have registered: The
largest number is expected to come from the Philippines.
January 22-24 will be dedicated to an International Pastoral Theological
Congress on the theme of the world encounter. A separate congress for
children and young people, expected to draw 1,000 people, will be held at
the same time.
On Saturday, January 25 Eucharistic celebrations will be held for diverse
language groups in 16 churches in Manila. That same afternoon there will be the encounter of witnessing and testimonials and the festival of families, including a live television linkup with Pope John Paul in Rome, who will address the families present in Manila.
Cardinal Lopez Trujillo will preside at the concluding Eucharistic
celebration on Sunday, January 26.
